Mesothelioma and Asbestos Blog

The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation recently announced that they are going to establish the Mary and Bob Cosentino Travel Grant Program.
The new program will cater those who are newly-diagnosed mesothelioma patients and need to consult with an expert in the field of asbestos-related cancers.
The Fatal Effects of Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a malignant tumor that, once the body becomes infected with, can painfully invade the stomach, heart or stomach and destroys the organs.
In the past decade, researchers have just started to put more focus on this particular type of cancer, but have yet to find an effective preventative or treatment.
A Costly Illness
Since many treatments for mesothelioma are just in the experimental phase, medications for the illness are often expensive and doctors are selective in using various drugs, since they are unsure of the effects they may have on the patient.
“Mesothelioma patients and their families typically face huge financial losses,� says Chris Hahn, the Executive Director of the Meso Foundation. “They lose employment income due to disability and the need for the caregiver to stay at home with the patient.�
Foundation Honors Long-Time Supporter
The program was started by the foundation in honor of Mary Cosentino who served on the Board of Directors of the Meso Foundation until mesotheloma took her life in January.
Mary and her husband Bob had reportedly been long-time supporters of the foundation and the non-profit organization thought it only suiting that they show their appreciation.

Scientists are currently researching if there’s a preventative that can be enforced to disable cancerous tumors from invading the body.
Researchers in Australia have reportedly discovered that by injecting substances into tumors, they can assist the immune system in targeting these harmful tumors for destruction.
In doing so, they believe that they may be able to prevent fatal forms of cancer, such as the asbestos induced, mesothelioma, from effecting more people in the future.

Tests Conducted on Mice
Researchers reportedly injected toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists, which mimic the response that would occur if an infection existed, into the mesothelioma cells of a mouse.
According to documents, the tumors were completely gone in 40 percent of the mice and the rest of the mice showed a slowing in the progression of the cancer.
“There appears to be multiple layers of suppression used by any given tumor,� explains Andrew Currie, a researcher at the School of Medicine & Pharmacology in Western Australia. “Not only that, the tumors are not passive suppressors, but rather astute manipulators of the immune system.�
The Effects of Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a fatal form of cancer that typically affects those who have been exposed to asbestos through inhalation, ingestion or the handling of products containing the substance.
The effects of mesothelioma usually don’t show up for between 15 and 50 years so oftentimes when people are exposed they are not aware of the harm that has been done.

Scientists have yet to find a cure for the illness; however, treatments have been discovered in the last couple of decades that are enabling those who have mesothelioma to live a bit longer.